This is my 2nd pregnancy, and 1st homebirth. I'm planning on having a fishy pool at least to labor in. If that's where I give birth, then so be it. My DS will be nearly 3. If it's daytime I plan on calling the inlaws or a a friend to watch him. He wouldn't handle me being in pain very well. At times I get pretty excited about it, but mostly it seems like I hardly have any time to think about birthing. It's mostly just business as usual around here. I hope that as I get closer DH will get more interested in helping me plan.

Honestly, I don't know what the hesitation is with Homefirst for you all. I just love Dr. Eisenstein. I sent him an email with my phone number and he called me immediately. He was very generous with his time, and I was very impressed overall. Maybe you can have him do your HB instead of one of the other docs? Also, I am quite sure they don't require you to buy a $1,000 birth kit! You can certainly get your own at InHisHands for very cheap! Keep me posted on how your meetings go though. I enjoy hearing as a former-Illinoiser. Have any of you called Bernice Kreutzer? I know she moved, but maybe she goes to Chicago still?

I got my pool (round fishy) from Quality Inflatables. I still have my Python hose, adpater & pump from my last birth in '06, so I'm all set.

Honestly, I don't know what the hesitation is with Homefirst for you all. I just love Dr. Eisenstein. I sent him an email with my phone number and he called me immediately. He was very generous with his time, and I was very impressed overall. Maybe you can have him do your HB instead of one of the other docs? Also, I am quite sure they don't require you to buy a $1,000 birth kit! You can certainly get your own at InHisHands for very cheap! Keep me posted on how your meetings go though. I enjoy hearing as a former-Illinoiser. Have any of you called Bernice Kreutzer? I know she moved, but maybe she goes to Chicago still?

I got my pool (round fishy) from Quality Inflatables. I still have my Python hose, adpater & pump from my last birth in '06, so I'm all set.

If you have a homebirth experience with Homefirst I would love to hear it. Have you ever used Homefirst as a doctor's office or just emailed with them?
Dr. Eistenstein only does speaking engagements and does anaswer emails but he no longer sees patients at all (this is what the office has told me and what current patients have told me) -- for a point of reference Dr. Eisteinstein delivered my sister in 1976 -- that was obviously over 30 years ago and he wasn't super young then. Homefirst does not allow you to specify what doc -- from my understanding they rotate like most practices. If someone has a different experience - I would love to hear it -- fwiw this is not the problem I have with them, the midwife group I will likely go with also rotates among 3 midwives. I have talked to/pmed with about 5-6 mothers who gave birth with Homefirst in 2005 and 2006 and HF was requiring that you buy their supply kit and charged way over $1k -- I just posted $1k to be nice -- the number is actually higher. They billed this to insurance, but if you are out of network or it is out of pocket -- that is a hefty price for a package that costs $60 other places. In 2008, I am not sure what they are doing with this regard -- thus my very legitimate and not made up question.

You ask what are the problems b/c you honestly do not know -- if you look at the threads in the tribal area you will see but these are my problems:

I had a very unsatisfactory experience with regard to them treating my then 2.5 year old son

Billing issues/practices. I understand the "concierge" fee has gone by the wayside (where by they would charge a fee in addition to the regular charge and the patient would be responsibile, it was not collectible from insurance)

I don't like the idea that the doctor just shows up at the end to catch the baby, I like the idea of a midwife being with me for the entire time.

I do not like the idea of only meeting the labor and delivery nurse the night I am in labor -- it is imposible to meet them. As a side note I am friends with and neighbors with an L&D nurse, she is awesome an dedicated and loves HF.

The Naperville office is dirty -- I have not been to the other two so I cannot speak about those.

These are my issues, I think they are legitimate. They are very similar to other people's issues. That being said I know literally over 20 families who have home delivered with HF and are very happy with them, very happy. They are actually repeat customers. I so value what HF has done for Illinois. In Illinois there are ALOT of doctors and OBs -- their lobbying group is strong, but HF has kept homebirth legal in Illinois for decades. They helped give my mother a wonderful birth experience in the 1970s after two horrible experiences with OBs and labor wards. It bothers me that HF doesn't have any midwives (they tell patients otherwise but if you call the office they are clear -- unless you are out of the district area, only docs deliver babies). It bothers me that HF did not support the bill legalizing birth centers or direct entries - until the very end then they threw in their suppot. But HF has done so much for non-vaxing, home delivering families and I do respect and understand that -- I plan on interviewing them b/c the women I know who are happy with them, well I respect them. But the points I raise above are legitimate and are road blocks to me. So you asked and there it is.

My hangups with Homefirst are all based on the experiences I've read here - none of my friends have even heard of them, so I have no real life experiences to base my opinion on. And the people in the IL tribal area don't have a lot of good things to say about them - Regina did a good job of summarizing those posts (and I've heard the Rolling Meadows office is dirty, too).

Plus, I'm a little unnerved by the all-male OB staff. I've never had a male OB and I'm rather uncomfortable with the idea of one.

I don't know, I'm willing to interview them, but my gut feeling just says they're not right for me.

The midwife I interviewed two weeks ago, finally told me yesterday that she isn't sure the relationship would work because my husband doesn't seem on board. I am supposed to call her after I discuss with my husband the MW's concerns.

The midwife I interviewed two weeks ago, finally told me yesterday that she isn't sure the relationship would work because my husband doesn't seem on board. I am supposed to call her after I discuss with my husband the MW's concerns.

I e-mailed another midwife, but I am feeling pretty defeated.

Don't give up yet. If you like that MW, just fight for it. Have a good chat with your DH, remind him gently, positively, that the experience of giving birth is ultimately your experience to go through and you need to be the most comfortable. If a HB is what you feel will make you the most comfortable, then you should ask him to support you in these early decisions, just as he will have to support you throughout the labor and delivery process.

If he has any specific concerns, about saftey, etc, then I would look up some info before talking to him, or ask him to read a few Ina May stories/stats.

I would also gently, kindly, and positively remind the MW when you talk to her how much YOU want a HB and how it's YOUR birth.

Best of luck!

Homebirthing, homeschooling AP, gardening maniac running a working farm. No circ, no vax, no cable TV. EC'd and CD'd, tandem BF'd. Cheese and soap making goat and child herder.

I did discuss w/DH what he thought a midwife's role should be in pregnancy and birth- that helped clear up some miscommunication between us. He is having a hard time wrapping his mind around the midwife model of care because all he knows is the medical model. My friend lent me her copy of a water birth documentary so that DH can see first had the differences between a HB and hospital birth.

The tricky part of the whole situation is that a CPM attended HB in my state is not legal. The MW needs to feel that my husband wouldn't call the police on her in an emergency situation. DH had told me that he wouldn't, but also wants to know where the line of accountability is drawn. So, DH and I have to have one final talk before I call the midwife and let her know where we stand.

I did discuss w/DH what he thought a midwife's role should be in pregnancy and birth- that helped clear up some miscommunication between us. He is having a hard time wrapping his mind around the midwife model of care because all he knows is the medical model. My friend lent me her copy of a water birth documentary so that DH can see first had the differences between a HB and hospital birth.

Another tip I've heard is to watch natural childbirths/homebirths on youtube. On a different mainstream board that's helped a bunch of gals get over the fear of not having the hospital bells and whistles around - especially if they had a mediocre hospital birth previously.

Ok, adding myself to the Homebirth Roll call!
I was going to do a birth center birth, but last week we switched to a CNM who does homebirths in our area, and we're having a homebirth!
Second baby, first homebirth. First was in a hospital (Never Again!) Very excited for this! Hopefully we'll have a waterbirth (definitely laboring in water, assuming we'll deliver there)

Looks like my homebirth may be falling apart. My insurance is refusing to cover it even out of network. There are two groups which are in network but they are male docs and I have other issues with them -- I just don't want them. I am so sad. My HR person from work is on the phone with them right now, I really hope it works out. I cannot afford to pay it out of network.

i'm in chicago and going w/a woman's place mainly b/c they will do home or hospital, so it gives me a little more time to try and sway my husband toward HB. he finally read the british medical journal study last week and made some shockingly positive comments about it, so maybe, just maybe i'll get my HB after all! i sure as heck wouldn't go back to the hospital where i gave birth last time. i hated it!!

Looks like my homebirth may be falling apart. My insurance is refusing to cover it even out of network. There are two groups which are in network but they are male docs and I have other issues with them -- I just don't want them. I am so sad. My HR person from work is on the phone with them right now, I really hope it works out. I cannot afford to pay it out of network.

Don't give up hope yet! Things may work out. Can you call and harass your insurance company, like everyday? I know the more you bother them the more likely they are to end up covering it.

Mine was looking like it wan't going to happen, but I have been in touch with another MW, so there is a chance.